A Nazareth man began choking his wife until he broke her neck early Sunday, then slit his wrist and wrote an apology in blood on a wall in their home, police said.

Jason Gruver, who turned 28 today, thought he had killed his wife during the incident in the 400 block of Union Street, court records say. He allegedly used a knife to slit his wrist and wrote with blood on the bathroom wall: "I'm sorry. I (heart) u so much," the court records say.

After a night out with her husband Saturday, Maria Gruver dialed 911 at 5:46 a.m. Sunday to report her husband had tried strangling her, borough police Chief Thomas Trachta said. State police took Maria Gruver to St. Luke's University Hospital, Fountain Hill, where doctors determined vertebrae in her spine were fractured, records say.

Police found Jason Gruver and took him to Lehigh Valley Hospital-Muhlenberg in Bethlehem for treatment, records say.

Maria Gruver's sister, Mikaela Shelly, dialed 911 about 10:40 p.m. Sunday after she stopped by the couple's home and observed blood throughout it, documents say. There was blood on the front door, at the top of the stairs, in the hallway and inside the bathroom where Jason Gruver wrote his apology, police said.

Police also discovered a large amount of unspecified illegal drugs inside the home, records state.

Jason Gruver was arraigned today before District Judge John Capobianco on third-degree attempted homicide and related charges. The suspect wore an orange Rocawear T-shirt, jeans with what appeared to be blood stains on them, Timberland boots and a large adhesive bandage on his left wrist. His mother also attended the arraignment.

The suspect sat quietly as Capobianco read him the list of charges he faces. Jason Gruver spoke only to tell Capobianco how to pronounce Shelly's first name and to detail his criminal record.

"You've got a very serious charge here," Capobianco said as he explained how the public defender application process works.

Capobianco set bail at $100,000, and Jason Gruver was sent to
Northampton County Prison.

The magistrate told Jason Gruver conditions of his bail prohibit contact with his wife and her family and visiting their home. Jason Gruver asked if he would be able to see the couple's young daughter, who is staying with his sister-in-law; Capobianco forbade contact for now.

If Jason Gruver posts bail, the William Allen High School graduate told the
judge he would live with his parents. The suspect said he works as a truck driver
for Yourway Transport in Upper Macungie Township.